Police arrest Augusta purse-snatcher after I-95 chase

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Police have arrested a suspected purse-snatcher after he led police on a chase on the Maine Turnpike.

Around quarter of noon on Saturday, the first complaint reached police that a man had taken a woman's purse by force in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart on Civic Center Drive in Augusta.

Five hours later, there was another purse snatching at the Hannaford on Cony Street -- the suspect description and the description of the vehicle he made off in matched the first incident. Police officers spotted the vehicle, whose driver then led them on a chase south on I-95.

State Police and the Kennebec County Sheriff's Department joined in the pursuit.

The driver then stopped at mile marker 105 and took off on foot, but was apprehended after a brief chase.

Jed St. Hilaire, from Augusta, was arrested.

He's facing charges from the alleged-purse-snatching and from the chase.

There was a passenger in the car, but so far he's not facing any charges.